Temple of Life Shooting

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When: October 27, 2018

Location: Jewish Synagogue, Temple of Life, Squirrel Hill section of Pittsburgh. Pennsylvania

Attacker: Robert Bowers, 46

Victims: 11 dead, 6 injured (including 4 law enforcement officers)
Weapon(s): AR-15 semi-automatic rifle and three Glock 357 handguns

Type of attacker: Hate/Bias

 

Description:

On Saturday, October 27, 2018, shortly before 10:00 am, 46 year-old Robert Bowers barged into the Jewish synagogue, Temple of Life, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and starting shooting indiscriminately. A bris, or baby naming ceremony, was underway when the shooting began.  Shooting amidst his anti-Semitic rants, his goal as stated later was to kill Jews. He was armed with a semi-automatic AR-15 rifle and three semi-automatic Glock 357 handguns.

The shooting left one of the more gruesome scenes that many officials had seen leaving 11 dead and 6 injured. Fatalities ranged from 59 to 97 years old, including two brothers and a wife and husband who had been married in the Temple of life over 60 years earlier. Among the injured were four law enforcement officers. The shooting was the worst shooting to date against a Jewish synagogue in the United States. Bowers had been active on social media, in particular, Gab, prior to the attack. In the past he had displayed weapons and had made numerous anti-Semitic remarks. Just five minutes before the attack, he posted, "I can't sit by and watch my people get slaughtered," Bowers wrote. "Screw your optics, I'm going in."

Bowers was shot and wounded during his apprehension and was hospitalized in fair condition. He has been charged under the Federal Hate Crime laws with 29 counts levied against him.  

 

Links:

Campbell Robertson, Christopher Mele and Sabrina Tavernise, “11 Killed in Synagogue Massacre; Suspect Charged With 29 Counts,” The New York Times, October 27, 2018.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/27/us/active-shooter-pittsburgh-synagogue-shooting.html

 

Emily Stewart and Alex Ward, “Synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh: what we know.” Vox, Oct

https://www.vox.com/2018/10/27/18032076/pittsburgh-shooting-tree-of-life-synagogue

Dakin Andone, Jason Hanna, Joe Sterling and Paul P. Murphy, “Hate crime charges filed in Pittsburgh synagogue shooting that left 11 dead,” CNN, Octpber 29, 2018.

https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/27/us/pittsburgh-synagogue-active-shooter/index.html

 

Gabriela Saldivia, Shannon Van Sant. Emma Bowman, “Suspect Charged With 29 Federal Counts In Pittsburgh Synagogue Massacre,” NPR, October 27, 2018.

https://www.npr.org/2018/10/27/661347236/multiple-casualties-in-shooting-near-pittsburgh-synagogue